2022 Carmelo Pena Santana, Bien de Altura, Gran Canaria, Ikewen Grape_Touriga FrancaThe work being done on Gran Canaria by Carmelo Pea Santana is reshaping the narrative of the entire Canary archipelago. His wines are born of extreme conditions: ungrafted vines (pie franco) situated at dizzying elevations of 1,100 to 1,400 meters in the San Mateo district. "Ikewen" (Berber for "origin") is the entry point, though it lacks nothing in complexity. A field blend of Listn Negro, Listn Prieto, and indigenous varieties from sandy, volcanic
with a sort of effortless
profound minerality
which impart a distinct minerality
balancing a medium-bodied weight with bright acidity and the precise
and fresh Chianti Classico that faithfully represents its challenging yet rewarding origin
incredibly transparent and true to their noble terroirs
a crescent of hills in northeastern Italy's Friuli-Venezia Giulia
Giuseppe Rinaldi
Mourvèdre and Grenache is truly special
where the natural tension of the vintage reinforces the depth of the ancient-vine material
It is a rare expression that balances crystalline acidity with a subtle
He studied under the legendary Robert Michel and now works Michel's top parcel in the Chaillot vineyard and makes his wines in Michel's old cellars